Synopsis
This Fiftieth Anniversary edition celebrates one of the most ground-breaking books in American poetry. When first published in 1967, W.S. Merwin's The Lice was ground-breaking. Its visionary urgency directly engaged the nexus of aesthetics and morality, exerting an immediate and lasting effect on the writing and reading of poetry. Like all great art, this monumental work continues to inspire.
As Merwin discussed in an interview, "The Lice was written at a time when I really felt there was no point in writing. I got to the point where I thought the future was so bleak that there was no point in writing anything at all. And so the poems kind of pushed their way upon me. I would be out growing vegetables and walking around the countryside when all of a sudden I'd find myself writing a poem, and I'd write it."
When the War is Over
When the war is over
We will be proud of course the air will be
Good for breathing at last
The water will have been improved the salmon
And the silence of heaven will migrate more perfectly
The dead will think the living are worth it we will know
Who we are
And we will all enlist again
W.S. Merwin is one of America's greatest poets. His recent books of poems have been honored with a Pulitzer prize, a National Book Award, and the Bobbitt Prize from the Library of Congress. He lives in Hawaii.
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About the Author
W. S. Merwin: W.S. Merwin served as Poet Laureate of the United States and has received every major literary accolade, including two Pulitzer prizes, most recently for The Shadow of Sirius (Copper Canyon) and the National Book Award for Migration: New and Selected Poems (Copper Canyon).
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The Lice
Published by
Rupert Hart-Davis, 1969
ISBN 10: 0246974397
ISBN 13: 9780246974396
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Moe's Books, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
Hard cover. Condition: Very good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very good. Jacket has small nick on edge of back cover. Jacket spine sunned. Seller Inventory # 112098
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THE LICE - Poems By W S Merwin
Published by
Rupert Hart-Davis, London, 1969
ISBN 10: 0246974397
ISBN 13: 9780246974396
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Old Hall Bookshop, ABA ILAB PBFA BA, Brackley, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Brown Cloth. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First British Edition. (x), 80pp, 1p about the author, pages clean and crisp, dark brown top stain, brown cloth with gilt spine lettering, unclipped dust jacket has minimal wear to edges. Size: 8 x 5.5 Inches. Poetry. Seller Inventory # 017348
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THE LICE: POEMS
Published by
Rupert Hart-Davis, London, 1969
ISBN 10: 0246974397
ISBN 13: 9780246974396
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Orlando Booksellers, Lincoln, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. First UK Edition. First impression of the true first edition. ***Near fine in brown cloth-covered boards with gilt titles to spine. Pages clean. No foxing. No inscriptions. Spine tight. ***In a near fine bronze, black and white titled dustwrapper that has not been price-clipped, showing the original publisher's price of 25s net to bottom of front jacket flap. Extremities of dustwrapper very slightly creased and rubbed. No tears. Dustwrapper clean and bright. 204mm x 134mm. 80 pages plus a note about the poet to the rear. ***W. S. Merwin won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 2009 and is now recognized as an important poet. ***'---Merwin's new style has indeed come to flower in The Lice. Throughout this book one discovers again and again a startling image, freshness in the handling of rhythm, the recognition of the potentialities of a word. Though he incorporates a variety of techniques there remains nonetheless a compelling unity within the collection. The poems mirror the poet's concerns: mutability, time and death.'' (Quote from inside front of dustwrapper blurb). ***First impression of the first UK edition, complete in its original dustwrapper in extremely nice, bright, clean collectable condition. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc. Seller Inventory # 6200
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The Lice
Published by
Hart-Davis, London, 1969
ISBN 10: 0246974397
ISBN 13: 9780246974396
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Dale Steffey Books, ABAA, ILAB, Bloomington, IN, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. First British Edition. Fine in a Near Fine Dust Jacket, some creases on inside flaps and top spine edge. Stated "First published in Great Britain in 1969" on copyright page. Seller Inventory # 010690
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The Lice
Published by
Hart-Davis, 1969
ISBN 10: 0246974397
ISBN 13: 9780246974396
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Plot Twist, Baltimore, MD, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. **SIGNED & DATED** First impression of the true first edition. Fine condition, fine dust jacket, best copy that I could find. In a brown cloth-covered boards with gilt titles to spine. Pages clean. No foxing. No inscriptions. Spine tight. In a fine bronze, black and white titled dustwrapper that has not been price-clipped, showing the original publisher's price of 25s net to bottom of front jacket flap. Extremities of dustwrapper very slightest bit creased on the front and back exterior boards. Dust wrapper clean and bright. 204mm x 134mm. 80 pages plus a note about the poet to the rear. W. S. Merwin won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 2009 and is now recognized as an important poet. -Merwin's new style has indeed come to flower in The Lice. Throughout this book one discovers again and again a startling image, freshness in the handling of rhythm, the recognition of the potentialities of a word. Though he incorporates a variety of techniques there remains nonetheless a compelling unity within the collection. The poems mirror the poet's concerns: mutability, time and death.'' (Quote from inside front of dustwrapper blurb). ***First impression of the first UK edition, complete in its original dustwrapper, bright, clean rare collectable condition. Seller Inventory # 017
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The Lice
Seller: Solr Books, Lincolnwood, IL, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: good. This book is in Good condition. There may be some notes and highligting but otherwise the book is in overall good condition. Seller Inventory # BCV.0246974397.G